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Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, two top BJP leaders in Karnataka, Renukacharya and Shivaram Hebbar, are reportedly planning to join the Congress party.
Renukacharya, a former political secretary to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, met with Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar on Wednesday and is said to have expressed his desire to join the party. He is reportedly unhappy with the BJP's treatment of him and feels that he will be better off in the Congress.
Hebbar, an MLA from the Karwar constituency, is also said to be unhappy with the BJP. He is reportedly upset that he was not made a minister in the Bommai cabinet. He is also said to be unhappy with the BJP's handling of the state's coastal districts.
If Renukacharya and Hebbar do join the Congress, it will be a major boost for the party in Karnataka. Both leaders are popular in their respective constituencies and have a strong following among the BJP cadre. Their defection could also lead to other BJP leaders following suit.
The Congress is hoping to make gains in Karnataka in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party is already in power in the state and is looking to consolidate its position. The defection of Renukacharya and Hebbar would be a major step in that direction.
The BJP is likely to be rattled by the defection of Renukacharya and Hebbar. The party is already facing a challenge from the Congress in Karnataka and the defection of these two leaders would only make things worse. The BJP will need to act quickly to prevent any further defections.
